Home Speaker Asylum

General speaker questions for audio and home theater.

Tannoy and Vandy

I'm very curious about your dimension requirements, especially 7-9" wide. If that is a hard requirement, skip this message. If not, and if you will consider used gear, read on.

With a $4k budget, I looked for used Vandy Quatros, which I love, but ended up with Tannoy Stirling GRs which I bought unseen and unheard, mostly because EveAnna Manley is such a fan, and because at the time there were no U.S. dealers, so I took a shot on a used pair, thinking I could resell them at a reasonable loss if I didn't like them. Surprisingly, that ended well.

The Vandys are outstanding, with their typical Row N-ish presentation. With a test CD and a calibrated measurement microphone and a very flat mic preamp, the bottom end can be precisely tuned. Their footprint is 10w x 19d. I've only heard them in a big space, but suspect they would do well in a small room as well.

The Tannoy Prestige models, of which the Stirling GR is the smallest, are Row A, but never seem too "in your face" or glary. Extremely fast, breathtaking transients, holographic imaging. They do whisper-level stuff as well as the Quad 57. They also play *very* loud with no change in timbre. They are ported, so bass response drops off a cliff below a point. (With the Stirlings, they're usable to the mid-40's, down 6dB at 39 Hz. Bigger models go progressively lower.) I've had mine for about a year and they continue to astonish. Their footprint is about 14" square. They love big rooms, and I'm about to find out how well they do in a smaller room - my listening room under construction will be 10 x 23.

Comparing the Stirlings and Quatros on orchestral music, the Quatros have a more authoritarian whump factor, and certainly plumb the depths. The Stirlings give a much better account of strings, especially the texture of string sound. Percussives are lightning-fast, and the bottom end is smooth, fast, and slightly lean. Good piano recordings are breathtaking on the Stirlings, especially if it's one of the big Fasioli's with their unique big open bell sound. This is one are where the Quatros aren't nearly as involving. The Quatros are a little forgiving of bad material; the Stirlings not. (The original CD issue of "Odetta" is gritty sounding on the Quatros, and completely unlistenable on the Stirlings.) Imaging on the Stirlings is better than anything I've heard, including Spica TC-50s. Never thought I'd say that about anything.

Good luck.

WW
"Put on your high heeled sneakers. Baby, we''re goin'' out tonight.


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  • Tannoy and Vandy - Bill Way 08/18/1708:30:30 08/18/17 (1)

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